Motor operated exercising device for the feet



Dec. 31, 1968 .J. F. WOODS 3,419,001

MOTOR OPERATED EXERCISING DEVICE FOR THE FEET Filed June 50, 1965 INVENTOR. JAM ES F. WOODS ATTO RN EY.

Dec. 31, 1968 J. F. wooos 3,419,601

MOTOR OPERATED EXERCISING DEVICE FOR THE FEET Filed June 50, 1965 Sheet 2 of 3 54 17 .9) .25 25 1' E1 \4 21 22 29 jl/ 38a,- 67 j3 4/ 7 /--I 3 I 28 m 85 6 g 44 23 24 32 x 1 INVENTOR ATTOR N EY.

Ba. 31, 1968 J. F. wooos 3,41%,001

MOTOR OPERATED EXERCISING DEVICE FOR THE FEET Filed June so, 1965 Sheet 3 of a INVENTOR. JAMES F. WOO D5 ATTORNEY.

il'nited States 3,419,001 MQTOR OPERATED EXERCiSING DEVICE FOR THE, FEET James F. Woods, RR. 1, Peek, Kans. 67120 Filed June 30, 1965, Ser. No. 468,296 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-25) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLQSURE This invention relates to a device for exercising ones limbs and body if desired. An object of the invention is to provide a device of the kind mentioned which will be used in association or in combination with a chair of a type selected by the user of the device as will later be described.

A further object of the device is to provide a machanism whereby a person may sit in a chair and the device will set up a motion that will be imparted to ones feet, ankles and legs up as far as the hips so as to exercise those parts of the body for the relief of those parts of the body mentioned from stiffness and soreness that may arise from several different reasons, such as arthritis or stiffness of joints and soreness of muscles arising from numerous causes such as the healing of broken bones, sprained joints, unusual strains of the muscles and the likeness.

The device used in the above cases would most likely be used in combination with a stationary chair or a nonrockable chair, or if desired the device could be used with a rockable chair such as an ordinary rocking chair or platform chair or some chair of that type, and by using this rockable chair, the motion set up by this device will be extended above the hips of the user of the device so as to exercise muscles etc. in the back, shoulders and neck and even into ones arms.

In view of the above statements it becomes obvious that the device is very useful and efficient in restoring ones condition, who is afilicted with the kind of aliments above mentioned.

A further object of the invention is to make an exerciser that is simple in construction; one that is comparatively light in weight, one that is long lived as well as one that is reasonably inexpensive to build.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the kind mentioned, the working parts of which are well housed and protected so that there is no danger of one becoming entangled or caught in the parts so as to impart injury to a person that is using the device.

Now referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar numerals of reference designate the same parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the device. FIG. 2 is a side view of the device. FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view through a portion of the device, the view being as seen from line III-III in FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows. FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view through another portion of the device, the view being as seen from the line IV-IV in FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows. FIG. 5 is a plan View of an alternate or modified form of the invention. FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view through a portion of the invention, the view being as seen from the line VI-VI in FIG. 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows. FIG.

atent Q 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the device, the view being as seen from the line VIIVII in FIG. 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows, FIG. 8 is a side view of the device illustrating its use. FIG. 9 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the device, the view being as seen from the line IXIX in FIG. 8 and looking ing in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawings the device is shown as having a pair of spaced apart frame members and 16. The horizontal legs 15a and 16a are turned toward each other and the vertical legs 15b and 16]) are extending upwardly from their respective horizontal legs 15a and 16a. The base members 15 and 16 are joined together by a cross angle iron member 17, the ends of which are mitered and fit against matched ends of the base members 15 and 16 and these joints are joined together as indicated at 18 and 19.

At the end of the base members 15 and 16 is an angle iron cross member 20. Fitted between the fitted ends 1512 and 16b and the cross member 20 is turned as an inverted V with the edges of the legs being welded to the horizontal legs 15a and 16a as indicated at the points 21 and 22, 23 and 24.

Intermediate the cross members 17 and 20 is a third cross member 25 having vertical leg 25a bearing against the upper surface of the horizontal legs 15a and 16a and also bearing against the vertical legs 15b and 16b of the bare frame members 15 and 16, and ends of the other leg of the immediate cross frame member 2512 are cut short so as to fit between the edges of the legs 15a and 16a of the base members 15 and 16, so that the leg members 15a and 16a all lie in the same place, and all of these joints are welded together so as to provide a rigid base frame for the device.

On the base frame members 15 and 16 is welded block or boss members 26 and 27 that are positioned in the angles formed by the angle iron leg members 15a and 15b, 16a and 16b and through the leg members 15b and 16b and their respective base members 26 and 27 are drilled holes in which the ends of a cross shaft 28 are tightly fitted on the shaft 28 (not shown in FIG. 1) is revolvably mounted a pair of bearing elements 29 and 39 to which is rigidly welded one end of their respective rearwardly extending strap iron rocker arms 31 and 32 which extend forwardly along the inside of the base members 15 and 16 to a point just a little in the rear of the vertical leg 25a of the cross member 25.

The front ends of the rocker arms 31 and 32 are rigidly joined together by a cross strap iron member 33, the ends of which are welded to the ends of the rocker arms 31 and 32. A second cross strap iron member 34 is spaced behind the cross member 33 and its ends are also welded to the rocker arms 31 and 32 so as to form a rectangular frame between the cross members 33 and 34 and the front portions of the rocker arms 31 and 32 and in the corners of the rectangular frame is positioned small triangular gusset plates such as indicated at 35, the edges of which are Welded to their respective frame members 32, 33 and 34 and 35. Each gusset has a hole 36 therethrough for purposes that will later be made obvious and resting on this rectangular frame and rigidly attached thereto is a foot rest 37 that is held thereon by means of screws that are passed through the holes 36 in the gusset plates and screwed into the foot rest board 37. Along the rear edge of the foot board 37 is a stop element 38 that extends along the rear edge of the foot rest 37 and extends a short distance above the upper surface of the foot rest 37. This is to prevent ones heels and foot from sliding rearwardly off of the foot rest 37. The foot rest 37 and its carriage is designed to receive both feet of a person using the device.

As shown in FIG. 5 the device is shown as having two foot rests 39 and 40, one for each foot, and in this design the foot rest and their supporting frame members would be cut in two in the middle so as to provide a foot rest for each foot, and the adjacent ends of the two foot rests 39 and 40 are supported on rocker arms and bearings therefor that are identical to the arms and their mountings shown in FIG. 1 at 31 and 32, and these arms in FIG. 5 are designated 41 and 42, and the rocker arms 31 and 32 would join their respective frame members 33 and 34 so as to form a support for the adjacent ends of the two foot rests 39 and 40.

On the forward edge of the two foot rests 39 and 40 are shield elements 41 and 42, the lower edges of which are rigidly attached to the front cross member 33 and the rear wall of the shield 41 extends upwardly above the foot rest 39 and then curves forwardly to form a horizontal shelf or housing portion 43 and at each end of the housings 43 and 44 are end housings or gusset members 45 and 46, each of which carry a bearing 47 and 48, in which is tightly fitted the ends of a shaft 49 on which is revolva'bly mounted a roller 50 which rests on a cam 51 that is rigidly mounted on a drive shaft 52, the ends of which are revolvably carried in bearings 53 and 54 that are rigidly carried on the upper apex end of a triangular support plate 55, the base of which is bolted to the vertical leg 56 of an angle iron support member 57 that is carried by the base cross members 17 and 25,. the ends of which are Welded to the base members 17 and 25. The cams 51 and 51a are rigidly fixed on the drive shaft 52 in positions turned 180 degrees from each other so that as the drive shaft 52 is revolved, the cams 51 and 51a will alternately raise and lower the foot rests 39 and 40.

Now referring to FIGS. 1 and 4 in which the single foot rest is employed the same cam and roller construction and housing 43 is employed, except that there is only one cam 51 and roller 50 to rock the single foot rest 37. On the outer end of the drive shaft 52 is rigidly mounted a V pulley 58 that is driven by a V belt 59 as will later be described.

The device is provided with a power unit P preferably an electric motor that is rigidly mounted on a pair of short angle iron support members, the upper legs of which are turned towards each other and lie in the same plane so as to form a flat support for the power unit P which is rigidly bolted thereto by bolts 62. that will readily be understood. The other two legs of the angle irons 60 and 61 extend downwardly and the ends of all four legs 60 and 61 abut the vertical leg of the cross member 17 of the base frame and are rigidly welded thereto. The power unit P herein referred to includes a gear box G in which is housed a set of speed reduction gears (not shown) because this is a standard set up that can be readily purchased on the open market. On the outer end of the gear case G is a V-belt pulley 63 that it rigidly mounted on the drive shaft 64 of the speed reduction mechanism G so that the pulley 63 runs at a slow speed in comparison to the power unit P, and the V belt 59 also passes around the V-belt pulley 63 so that as the pulley 63 revolves it will similarly drive the V-belt pulley 58 so as to revolve the shaft 52 and the cams 51 thereon to impart the rocking and raising or lowering motion to the foot pedal 37 or the two pedals 39 and 40 as the case may be.

As shown in the drawing the power unit P is an electric motor having a power feed line 65 in which is inserted a control switch 66 by which the motor may be started and stopped.

The device is further provided with a safety housing H which is supported on the base frame member 17 and motor supports 60 and 61 and housing the power unit P including the drive pulley 63 and V belt 59 which operates the cam shaft 52 so as to prevent any tangling of ones clothes or other objects in the device during the course of operation of the device.

The width of the device as defined by the spaced apart base frame members 15 and 16 is narrow enough that the legs or rockers of a chair C or the supports of a platform of a platform rocking chair may be set astride the device so as to position the seat of the chair over the device at a selected distance to suit the user of the device in rear of the foot rest or platform 37.

To insure safety in using the device where the two foot supports 39 and 40 are employed, each foot support 39 and 40 is provided with a looped strip 67 and 68 that is securely attached to the .foot supports 39 and 40 so that the feet of the user of the device can be slipped in the loops of the strips 67 and 68 with the heels of the feet resting against the back stops 33a and 38b whereby the feet of the user of the device are held in proper position on the foot supports 39 and 40 during the operation motion of the device.

Now to use the device one would be seated in the chair with his feet resting flat on the foot platform 37 or foot supports 39 and 40 and if the double supports are being used the toes of the user of the device would be positioned under the straps 67 and 68 with *his heels resting against the stop elements 38a and 38b at the rear of the foot supports 39 and 40 so as to receive the best results in using the exerciser device. This having been done the electric switch 66 may now be thrown to complete the electric circuit whereupon the power unit P will start and the V belt pulley 63 will drive the V belt 59, V belt 58 and drive shaft 52 so as to rotate the cam 51 or cams 51 and 51a and thereby rockably raise and lower the foot platform 37 or supports 39 and 40 as the case may be and for the purposes above mentioned.

If the device is used with a stationary or stool chair as shown in FIG. 8, obviously the platform '37 or supports 39 and would operate to move or work the ankles, muscles and joints of the feet and legs of the user of the device up to and including the hip joints of the user of the device.

Now if a chair that will rock is used in connection with the device, it is obvious that in addition to the actions above described, the chair will also be rocked and this will automatically impart motion or movement to the users back, shoulders, neck and even to the arms of the user of the device, all of which exercises the joints and muscles of the entire body and operates to release stiffness and soreness throughout the entire body, which of course is the prime object of the invention and device.

Now while the device as shown and described is probably the preferred form of the device, it is to be understood that such modifications of the device as lie within the scope of the appended claims may be employed without departing from the spirit and intention of the invention. Now having fully shown and described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An exercising device; said device having a base frame member and two rocker arm assemblies, means extending from side to side of the base frame member and supported thereby for supporting one end of each rocker arm assembly being revolvably carried on the said support therefor, said rocker arm assemblies extending forwardly from the said support therefor; a pair of foot supporting elements, said foot supporting elements being positioned one on the forward end of each of the said rocker arm assemblies, a pair of combination shield and housing elements, each of said combination shield and housing elements having side walls and a rear wall, said rear wall of each housing element being rigidly attached to the front portion of its respective foot supporting element and rocker arm therefor, means intermediate the side walls of each said housing element for resting on a support for the front end of its respective rocker arm and foot supporting means thereon, a cam shaft, said cam shaft extending transversely across the said base frame member and being revolvably carried in hearings on brackets that are rigidly carried on the said base frame member, said cam shaft being positioned below the said shield and housing elements, a pair of cams, said cams being in degrees relative to each other around the said cam shaft and being rigidly stationable in their adjusted position, the said supporting means in each housing element being an antifriction element and resting on one of the said cams, the base frame members having means for mounting a power unit and a rotary speed reducing unit thereon, a power unit and a rotary speed reducer therefor, and connected therewith, and means between the slower speed end of the speed reduction unit and the said cam shaft for revolvably driving the cam shaft.

2. An exercising device; the structure, parts and arrangement thereof as defined in claim 1; and seat means associated with the foregoing defined device, said seat means being positioned above the foregoing defined device and in rear of the said foot supporting elements.

3. An exercising device; the structure, parts and arrangement thereof as defined in claim 1; and seat means associated with the foregoing defined device, said seat means being positioned above the foregoing defined device and in rear of the said foot supporting elements; said seat means being a chair, the legs of said chair being spaced sufliciently far enough apart to straddle the said base frame member.

4. An exercising device; the structure, parts and ar-' References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,709,410 4/1929 Simmons 128-33 2,234,770 3/1941 Meyer 12833 2,934,062 4/ 1960 Klassen et al. 128-33 3,316,898 5/1967 Brown 128-25 L. W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner. 

